Two sisters. One brutal murder. A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself... And an intoxicating romance.
KINGDOM OF THE WICKED by KERRI MANISCALCO
Series: Kingdom of the Wicked #1
Publication date: October 27, 2020
Published by: Jimmy Patterson
Genre: fantasy
SYNOPSIS
Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.
Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is at is seems...
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Praise for Kerri Maniscalco:
"A marvelous yet somewhat gruesome mystery...an unexpected twist makes the ending worth the wait. A must-have."
---School Library Journal (*starred review*)
"Kerri Maniscalco once again combines adventure, romance, murder and Victorian manners into an intoxicating cocktail that brings the story of this tenacious young forensic scientist to a satisfying conclusion."―Knoxville News Sentinel
"There are plenty of suspects and red herrings as well as tense escalations....A scenic, twisty mystery."
--- Kirkus Reviews
"Maniscalco has created a serious, sharp-minded, and forward-thinking protagonist in Audrey Rose, whose fearlessness will endear her to readers looking for an engaging historical thriller. Abundant red herrings and a dash of romance round out this gruesome but engrossing story."
--- Publisher's Weekly
"Audrey Rose Wadsworth prefers breeches to ball gowns, autopsies to afternoon tea, and scalpels to knitting needles. Though her father, Lord Edmund, has forbidden it, Audrey covertly studies forensic medicine...while "the Ripper" remains two steps ahead, lurking where Audrey least expects....Maniscalco's portrayal of scientific invention in a newly industrial era will serve as a fine first foray into Victorian classics."
---Booklist
"Audrey is a young woman eager to use her brains and willing to flaunt society's rules....This mystery pays homage to classics like Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein [and] will satisfy those readers looking for historical mystery, a witty heroine, and a little romance."
---School Library Connection
"Audrey Rose is a witty, resourceful feminist who refuses to bow to Victorian-era gender norms. This dark, gothic landscape is peopled with nuanced, diverse characters who keep readers enthralled. A gripping mystery with a compelling heroine and just the right touch of romance."
--- Kirkus Reviews
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I'm mostly on instagram--where I'm always ready to talk fictional crushes and nerd out over books. (Okay, okay. And I've also been known to share snippets and teasers from my upcoming novels, if you're into that sort of thing...) Please feel free to chat with me there @KerriManiscalco. I love talking with fellow readers!
Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats.
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Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri ManiscalcoMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Emilia is a young Sicilian witch who has been living in hiding with her family her whole life. She and her twin sister Vittoria wear matching horn shaped amulets infused with magic by her grandmother to protect and shield them. They were told never to allow the two necklaces to physically touch, but in their childhood they foolishly broke that rule and they set a chain reaction into motion that would have catastrophic consequences. Not only would their family eventually be ravaged when Vittoria is inexplicably murdered, the underworld will soon be escaping the bonds that keep the human world safe.
In The Kingdom of the Wicked, Kerri Maniscalco carefully crafts a sophisticated, ominious world full of witches, demons, and other supernatural beings. However, the two main groups are the witches who descend from La Prima Strega, the original witch, and the seven demon princes of the underworld. The princes all represent one of the deadly sins-Wrath is one of the main protagonists opposite Emilia. I had some reservations about reading a story about a demon-not knowing how he would be represented. If he was too good, he wouldn't be a realistic character which would make him unbelievable as a demon from hell. If he was too evil, I wouldn't be able to overcome detachment from him. There's something to be said for redeemable anti-heroes, but there is a fine line for me as a reader. Thankfully, I think the author did a great job balancing his fierce and brutal characteristics with clear hints of a conscience and ability to think outside of his own selfish desires. That really set him apart from his vicious brothers.
“There are seven demon princes,but only four di Carlos should fear:Wrath, Greed, Envy, and Pride.One will crave your blood.One will capture your heart.One will steal your soul.And one will take your life.”
Emilia and Vittoria had a very close sibling relationship as many twins do. In the beginning of the novel, Emilia starts to see her sister acting strangely, but dismisses her odd disappearances and anxious behavior. Based on the synopsis, I knew what was coming, but her death still hit hard. It was not only gruesome, but traumatic when Emilia discovers her lifeless body. She quickly transitions from grief to anger, to vengeance. Her innocence is forever lost as she ventures down a dark path of danger.
A twig was just a bit of broken wooduntil it had been sharpened into a spear.Grief carved me in half.And fury honed the pieces into a weapon.Now it was time to unleash it.
Her sister is only one in a string of connected witch murders that are unsolved. Someone is targeting young witches and she isn't sure if it's the demons her grandmother warned her about, witch hunters, or some other unknown entity. Her first clue is a savage man standing over the body of her lifeless sister. He escapes, but leaves behind a mysterious snake adorned dagger. She uses his dagger to hunt him down and demand answers. Emilia jumps into the investigation with no hesitation right from the start. She isn't afraid to put her own life on the line and make difficult choices that could have irrevocable consequences. That includes the choices she makes when it comes to a very hardened, furious demon who has been (literally) spellbound and captive to her mercy. He's not the type to be forgiving and doesn't care at all for her rash actions in tying them together in a way that will be almost impossible to break. Eventually they become a reluctant team and frenemies who don't trust each other even for a hot second.
This book was seriously action packed. It's highly plot driven, and that's what I really needed in order to get immersed in a longer length fantasy right now. I needed something with the ability to capture my attention and solidly hold it there, and Kerri Maniscalco achieved that with flying colors. I enjoyed the sarcastic dialogue between Emilia and Wrath, the subtle character development, and the beauty in her writing. This is my first book by the author and I can say without a doubt I will be continuing the series as well as venturing into her other work in the future. The ending was pretty brutal-not just because of the big cliffhanger (come on guys, it's a series so it's to be expected) but the actual events that take place in the climax are heartrending.
Emilia makes a decision to descend into darkness but I hold onto hope that whatever her plan is, she will come out the other side into the light. I feel like this is possibly a five star read, but something was holding me back so I shaved off a mere half star. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the five star "wow factor excitement" wasn't quite there for me so I went with my gut in my rating. However, this book is unlike so many I've read before it, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a dark (and occasionally humorous) story to set the Halloween mood.
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